[INT. DRAWING ROOM - EVENING]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I nearly came down in a dinner jacket tonight.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Really? Well, why not a dressing gown? Or, better still, pyjamas?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　That's why I didn't.

　　ISOBEL CRAWLEY

　　I like the new fashions. Shorter skirts, looser cuts. The old clothes were all very well if one spent the day on a chaise longue, but if one wants to get anything done, the new clothes are much better.

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　I'll stick to the chaise longue.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Granny, you don't really want things to go back to the way they were, surely?

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Of course I do. And as quickly as possible.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　What about you, Papa?

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Before the war, I believed my life had value. I suppose I should like to feel that again.

　　[Awkward silence.]

　　LADY MARY

　　Have you seen the boys‘ haircuts the women are wearing in Paris?

　　MATTHEW

　　I hope you won‘t try that.

　　[Mary looks over at him in surprise and Violet looks curiously between them.] LADY MARY

　　I might.

　　LAVINIA

　　I‘m not sure how feminine it is.

　　LADY MARY

　　I‘m not sure how feminine I am.

　　SIR RICHARD CARLISLE

　　Very, I‘m glad to say.

　　[Edith grins in amusement.]

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Carson, I keep forgetting to tell Mrs Hughes we've had a letter from Major Bryant's mother. She and her husband are in Yorkshire on Friday and she wants to pay us a visit.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Why?

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　The last time they saw him alive it was here. I can understand.

　　MR CARSON

　　Will they be staying, my lady?

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　No, but we'll give them luncheon. That way, they can talk about the Major with all of us who knew him.

　　[Sybil looks like she's trying to contain her irritation toward the insipid conversation.]

　　VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　That lets me out, thank heaven.

　　[INT. DOWNTON GARAGE - EVENING]

　　[Branson hears heels clicking on the garage floor and glances up from the car engine. He does

　　a double take as he sees Sybil in her evening gown. She tilts her head shyly, waiting for him to say something.]

　　BRANSON

　　You look very fine.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Everything I own is from my season before the war. I‘m trying to wear them out.

　　[Branson continues to check her out.]

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Where have you been all day?

　　BRANSON

　　Nowhere. I‘ve just been busy.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　I envy you. I feel so flat after the rush and bustle of the last two years. They were sighing for the old days at dinner, but all I could do was think about how much more I want from life now than I did then.

　　BRANSON

　　Does this mean that you‘ve made up your mind…at last?

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Not quite. But almost.

　　[Branson looks down, slightly disappointed. Sybil touches his face and he looks up, surprised, and stares at her longingly.]

　　[INT. MR CARSON‘S OFFICE - EVENING]

　　MR CARSON

　　What do you mean, ―How did she say it?‖? "Mr and Mrs Bryant are coming for luncheon on Friday."

　　MRS HUGHES

　　How are things over at Hacksby?

　　MR CARSON

　　Pretty good. Building materials are in short supply, but Sir Richard knows how to get around that.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Hmph, I bet he does.

　　MR CARSON

　　Oh, you should see some of the gadgets in the kitchens. And the bathrooms, oh, goodness me. They're like something out of a film with Theda Bara.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　I'm surprised you know who Theda Bara is.

　　MR CARSON

　　Oh, I get about, Mrs Hughes. I get about.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　But will you be happy there? That's what want to be sure of.

　　MR CARSON

　　If you're asking whether I'll regret leaving Downton, I will regret it every minute of every day. I thought I would die here and haunt it ever after.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Well, then...

　　MR CARSON

　　You see, I think I can help her in those early years, when it's important to get it right. And if I can help her, then I must.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　I wish I could understand. To me, Lady Mary is an upity minx who's the author of her own misfortunes.

　　MR CARSON

　　You didn't know her when she was a child, Mrs Hughes. She was a guinea a [?] then. I remember once she came in here, can't have been more than four or five years old, she said, "Mr Carson, I've decided to run away and I wonder if I might take some of the silver to sell."

　　[They chuckle.]

　　MR CARSON

　　"Well," I said, "that could be awkward for His Lordship. I suppose I'll give you a sixpence to spend in the village instead." "Very well," said she, "but you must be sure to charge me interest."

　　[They chuckle.]

　　MRS HUGHES

　　And did you?

　　MR CARSON

　　She gave me a kiss in full payment.

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Then she had the better bargain.

　　MR CARSON

　　I wouldn't say that.

　　[Anna enters.]

　　ANNA

　　There you are, Mrs Hughes. They said you were in here. Might I have a word?

　　MRS HUGHES

　　Of course. Shall we go to my room?

　　ANNA

　　There's no reason Mr Carson shouldn't hear it. In fact, I think you probably should. You see, I've had a request from Sir Richard that you ought to know about.